BBC News Mobile for Windows Phone has been bumped to version 4.1, which we believe to be a minor update to alert consumers that the app will be shutting down soon due to the entanglement with the BBC. Developer Lawrence Gripper has published a public beta for a new app to take BBC News Mobile's place, called Paper Boy. When launching BBC News Mobile after updating, a warning screen (pictured above) is displayed, linking to the Paper Boy beta.

Paper Boy, as we've covered before, is a fully featured app that pulls stories from not only the BBC, but you’ve also got ArsTechnica, Wired, TechCrunch, the Washington Post, Financial Times, Reuters, and more. Be sure to check out the public beta of Paper Boy to relay feedback back to Lawrence Gripper on Twitter or the UserVoice.

Reader comments

Don't upgrade! Some of the functionality, like opening the article in the browser and sharing articles has been broken in the update. I was happy with the app and glad I could keep using it even though it had been withdrawn but now I regret updating as there's little hope of fixes to these new issues.

Funny how this third party BBC News app on Windows Phone is better than the official BBC News app on Android. BBC can't even spend our license fee money properly to create a proper app on Android let alone WP.

Couple of months ago, BBC Radio 5 ran a story on webcams being hacked and people being spied on. They managed to find a listener to come on and tell her story of how it happened to her. She worked in a "computer shop", just to enhance her credibility. Nice long interview about what happened, and how she worked it out.
Then, right at the end, managed to get in, "it wouldn't happen to me now though, I got a Mac after advice from my boyfriend. And they don't suffer from viruses and stuff..."
No bias at the BBC, my arse. Took me a 2 minute search of Facebook to find her. Guess which "computer shop" she works at? Yep, the Apple Store.

It might be a massive coincidence but I updated to this version of the app this morning and it sapped my battery. From 100% to 9% (when I noticed!) in about 4 hours.
Nothing else changed on my phone apart from this App.

It's got nothing to do with bias. They have a finite budget (funded by UK tv licence payers, and overseas sales+advertising etc...). Of course they're going to prioritise development on the more popular platforms first to get most user coverage. Honestly this constant claim of bias is nonsense, just simple (very simple) maths.

Bollocks to that, i pay my license, so im very well entitled to an official bbc app. Yes they may have a budget, but regardless how much is it really going to cost them to make and maintain an official app for wp8? Next to f**k all. Instead of using my money to pay for silly things, which i don't watch and then still take my money, is a damn right c*ntish move... NOW GIVE ME MY APPS.

"I pay my licence fee so GIMME GIMME GIMME what *I* want" and how long before iPhone/Android users start saying "I pay my licence fee, why are you wasting money on silly things like a WP8 app"
As for how much does it cost to make and maintain an app, you have no idea, absolutely *no* idea what goes into making an app (or any software for that fact), so saying it would cost f8ck all, is as you so aptly put it "bollocks."
Get a hold of yourself.

If they can afford to run an entire Gaelic channel, they can afford to develop a WP app. (Or at least not force a perfectly good third-party, non-profit-making developer using data feeds the BBC makes freely available to withdraw his efforts from the WP store.)

@scottisafool, boy you do act like your namesake. Regardless of you trying to belittle my comment, how about you go and ask gripper how much it costs him to start the app and maintain it. And when you realise that your comment are based on silly assumptions that its expensive as hell.. you then sir, can royally f#*% off

I happen to know that Scott develops apps so he's already fully aware of the costs involved.
And as for a Gaelic channel. They run it as they're obliged to. They're not obliged to cater to the minority of smartphone users.

I would love for you to do both things you suggested and I'm sure you'd be told how much time and effort (money isn't the only cost you know) went into the app and see if he would agree with your assumption of cost.

They can refine and release new iOS apps as they have iOS developers on staff. You think these people could develop the Windows Phone app too? Probably not, therefore there's a cost involved. But hey, whatever, let's all think whatever is the current "they're all out to get Windows Phone users" paranoid group hive mentality that seems to be the current trend.

No, it was becasue they think their mobile website is all you need, when it actually sucks donkey's you know what..
This indie BBC News app is really good and puts their own efforts to shame. Simple sour grapes. The are so far up Apples rectum, they refuse to do anything to support WP.